Upscale Fashion Company is Paying to Maintain Rome’s Colosseum

While it may be the job of the Italian government to preserve the 2,000-year-old monuments of Rome, the dazzling city simply has too many landmarks to properly maintain on its less than adequate budget.

But, “Hail Caesar!’ Businesses are now stepping up to ensure the conservation of the city’s most beloved history.

Tod’s, a high-end Italian fashion company, pledged a jaw-dropping $30 million to the restoration and maintenance of the Colosseum.

Since the five-year restoration of the ancient stadium began, the Colosseum’s exterior has been almost entirely purged of soot, dirt, and pollution.

The effort is one of many initiatives taken by Italian businesses to assist the nation’s government in preserving public monuments and halt the city’s creeping deterioration. For instance, legendary Italian fashion company Fendi has been hailed for contributing $21.4 million to the restoration of the Trevi Fountain.

Specialists say that while donations from private businesses may be more common in America, it is much less common in European companies – and that cultural difference is what makes contributions from Tod and Fendi all the more inspiring.